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Laurel Armed Robbery Leads to Carjacking, Crash on BW Parkway

BALTIMORE (WJZ)–Police are investigating an armed robbery that later resulted into a carjacking on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway Tuesday morning, United States Park Police tell WUSA9.

The Laurel Police Department says around midnight an armed robbery occurred at the Tastee Diner located in the 100 block of Washington Boulevard.

Police say three armed black males entered the diner wearing masks and stole around $140 after striking the employee at the diner. The employee received minor injuries. The males then escaped in a burgundy BMW into Howard County.

“There are just desperate people out there and they don’t care who they hurt,” said diner employee, Joy Farmer.

74-year-old Joe Fredholm, who’s worked the overnight shift for 35 years at the diner, was met with a gun in his face.

“The first guy came in and said everyone down on the floor, he had a 45 at me,” said Fredholm.

Instead of being killed, Joe was pistol whipped multiple times and left bleeding on the floor. While he, the diner and even customers all ended up being robbed for roughly $200 total.

U.S. Park police later confirmed Laurel Police that the same vehicle was involved in a multiple car-crash on the Baltimore Washington Parkway at the exit for Route 197 and that other crimes occurred on the scene.

All three suspects are still at-large and the investigation is ongoing.

Rick Ritter

Rick Ritter joined WJZ Eyewitness News in May 2014 as a reporter.
Born and raised in Philadelphia and South Jersey, Rick is thrilled to come back to the Northeast!
Before moving to Baltimore, Rick was the Collier County bureau chief reporter a...